Education Maintenance Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of education maintenance allowance payments.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 7 June 2010
	The Government are committed to retaining the education maintenance allowance (EMA). The budget for 2010-11 is £564 million, enabling young people aged 16 to 19 in England who meet residency criteria and have a bank account to receive EMA payments if their household income is under £30,801 (based on evidence from the last full financial year).